1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fraction indicator adapted to be mounted on the housing of a reel type tape measure so as to provide ease of reading fractions with the tape measure. In particular the present invention relates to a fraction indicator which can be superimposed over first fraction marks on the tape such that second fraction marks and associated arabic numeral fractions can be read by a user.
2. Prior Art
The prior art has described various devices associated with a reel type tape measure for facilitating the reading of measurements. U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,187 to Huggins describes a measuring tape with a telltale 21 which is activated when an actuator 20 engages a wall or the like to indicate that an increment of measurement (2") is to be added to the tape portion which is outside a housing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,181,242 to Cook describes a straight edge attachment 27 and 28 for a tape for measuring or drawing angles from the tape. U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,584 to Overaa describes a magnifying lens 12 for facilitating reading of the fraction marks on a tape measure. U.S. Pat. No. 3,324,560 to Snyder describes a collar 15 for the tape which also functions as a lens for reading the fraction marks. U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,678 to Chamberlain describes a marking attachment for a tape measure which has pointer 15 or 32 for indicating the position of a marking tool 14. U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,478 to Fisher shows datum points 10 for indicating a measurement on a tape. U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,134 to Zima shows an abutment slide which has an opening for viewing the tape measurements. In none of these patents is any means described for facilitating direct reading of fraction marks between the unitary number markings of the tape. The problem is that such fraction marks are easily misread, because of the closeness of spacing of the fraction marks.